Wardrobe case



July 9, 1940-` .1. RITTER. JR 2,207,026

WARDROBE CASE Filed May 29, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEY.

July 9, 1940. J. MT1-ER JR WARDROBE CASE Filed May 29, 1939 2Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORN EY.

Patentedv July 9, 1940.

UNITED! STATES oFFicE I WARDl'aoBE cAsE Julius Ritter, Jr., Racine,Wis., assignor to Hartv mann Trunk Company, Racine, Wis., a corporationof Wisconsin Application Mayl 29, y1939, serial No. 276,295 401mm'. (c1.19o-41) section of the case, and are furthermore folded over the outerend of a pivotal frame whose inner end is hingedly mounted within thehinged end of said section of the case. The present improvements in theafore-mentioned type of luggage case result in a case'which is simpleand compact in construction, andwhich is highly eflicie'nt in operation,and easy and convenient Y to manipulate.

In certain forms of wardrobe kcases the inner ends of the arms of theswinging garment folding frame are pivotally carried by the folding g5stays which connect-the adjacent, hinged-togethersections of the case.In packed position, the swinging frame is lodged within the coversection of the case. When the cover of the case is moved to closedposition, if the frame arms are mounted as mentioned, due to the foldingof the stays, the frame moves substantially toward the free end of thecover. Substantial movement ofthe frame in this regard is objectionableas it causes rub and friction on frail garments frame against theadjacent end wall of the cover section.

- It is, therefore, a specific object of the present n invention' toprovide a wardrobe case of the character described wherein the inner endportions of the swinging frame are pivotallymounted on the stays and ina position and in a 'manner so that longitudinal shifting of the framewithin the cover, when the cover ismoved toward closed` position, isminimized and is ren- Y derednegligible.

Another'specic object ofthe invention is to provide a wardrobe case ofthe character described having novel and effective means for releasablyengaging the ends of an inner garment engagingbar,l the Said means beingpositive in the retentionof the bar and being -easily manipulatable.

vmeans for automatically locking the garment bar l. n

engaging means only when the garment frame is in position within thecover of the case, the arrangement being such as to automatically per.-

- mit ready access to the bar engaging means to ,5Y

allow ready disengagement and removal of the bar when the garment frameis swung to a. position over the body section of the case.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wardrobe case having aflexible curtain 1,0.;

for covering and retaining the swing fixture and garments in the coversection of the case, the lower end of said curtain carryinga rod whoseends are selectively engageable with any of a series of apertureslocated in plates adjacent the 1.5, inner end of the cover, whereby thecurtain can l be secured in adjusted position according to whether it isslack or taut due to packing of garments interiorly thereof and whicharrangement will insure a tight securement of said cur- 20. tain underall conditions to prevent undue down- Y ward sagging of the garmentframe and garments thereon when the cover of the case is packed andclosed. l.

A further object of the invention is tovprovide 25 a wardrobecasewherein the major portions of garments are folded and compactly confinedWithin the covervsection of the case with provision for extended endportions of garments to drape into a well formed in the inner end of the3Q body of the case, the remainder of the body of v the case being freeto hold miscellaneous articles of wearing apparel `and travelingparaphernalia.

These and other objects and advantages will be apparent from thefollowing detailed descrip- 3 5 tion.

In the accompanyngdrawings in which the same reference charactersindicate the lsame parts in the various views:

Fig. 1 is a transverse vertical lsectional view 40 through an openwardrobe case embodying the features of the present invention andshowing the garment supporting frame positioned over the body section ofthe case preparatory to com-l pleting the loading and folding ofgarments; 45

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l only showing the garment supportingframe moved into the cover section of the case with the protectivecurtain adjusted thereover in a position relative to a small quantity offolded garments; 50 Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional View similar tothe showing in Fig. 2 only showing another adjustment of the securedprotective curtain,V effective when the cover section is packedwith a Y55 A further-object of the invention is to provide greater quantity ofgarments; i 55 Fig. 4 is a front view of the open wardrobe case with thebody section of the case in vertical section and with the garmentsupporting frame moved into the cover section of the case;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail sectional view showing therelationship of certain of the parts when the garment supporting frameis moved. into the cover section, and the means for locking the garmentengaging bar against removal in this position of the members;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail sectional view taken on line 6 6 of Fig.5; and

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary detail sectional view similar to Fig. 6 onlyshowing the garment supporting frame in lowered position whereby removalof the garment engaging bar may be effected.

Although the invention has been shown and described herein as beingspecically applied to a certain form of hand luggage, it should beapparent that the novel features are more generally applicable toanytype of garment carrying case or container, and it is not the intent tolimit the invention by such specic disclosure.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, it will appear that thewardrobe case comprises in general a body section I 0 having a coversection l l pivotally attached to its rear wall by a hinge I2. The coverand body sections are furthermore connected by hinged stays I3 whichserve to limit the opening movement of the cover relative to the bodysection. Relatively close to the rear wall of the body section andparallel thereto, there is a removable partition Hl having its sideedges slidably mounted in guide-ways I5. When in position, thispartition provides Within the body section il] a rear well I6, fortheipurpose hereinafter to be explained, and'a main compartment Il forthe accommodation of miscellaneous articles of wearing apparel andtraveling paraphernalia. The main section may beprovided with the usualcarrying handle IS and the cover section Il may be swung into engagementwith the body section4 Il) and locked thereto by meansof the usuallatches I9. Garment supporting and folding mechanism of improvedconstruction is mounted substantially entirely within the cover sectionIl.

Mounted transversely on the inner face of the front wall of the coversection l i and intermediate the sides of said cover section is a hollowslotted guide 20 which is adapted to removably receive and enclose theT-shaped heads 2l of pivotal arms 22 carried by upper intermediateportions of garment hangers 23. As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, aplurality of hangers 23 are thus mounted within the upper end of theopen cover in superimposed relation.4 Eachhanger is adapted to supportthe upper portion of an elongated garment and the garment is initiallydraped therefrom, and prior to complete packing the garment is folded atthe lower end of the cover and extends out over the body section l il ofthe case. The initial fold in the garment is accomplished and maintainedyby a removable garment engaging bar 24.

VBoth end portions of the bar 24 are formed in the manner best shown inFig. 6. It will be observed that a recess 25 in the end of a bar 24houses a spring 25. A plunger 26 is normally urged outwardly by thespring and the reduced end portion 26' of the plunger is adapted toreleasably engage in an aperture 2l in an inner end portion of a stayelement I3. By forcing or shifting the bar longitudinally, as in Fig. 7,the

plunger at one end thereof will retract against its spring andsufficient movement of the bar is permitted to disengage the plunger atthe other end of the bar from its aperture 21, whereby completedisengagement and removal of said bar may be accomplished. Engagement ofthe bar 24 with the stays i3 is performed by inserting one of theplungers 26 into its stay aperture 21 and retracting the oppositeplunger until, it can snap into its aperture 27.

The garment folding and supporting mechanism also includes a pivotalU-frame indicated generally by the numeral 28. This frame is formed of apair ofside arms 29 connected at their outer ends bya rod 3l). The innerend of each arm 29 of said U-frame ispivotally attached, as at- 3i, to arear or inner portion of a stay element I3. The attachment of said armsto relatively rear portions of the stays is of importance, as willhereinafter appear. When the wardrobe case is open the vvframe may beswung from the substantially vertical position of Fig. 2, to thesubstantially horizontal position of Fig. 3. In the latter position itsouter end portions engage andare supported by cleats 32 carried by innerside portions of the body section yIl) ofthe case.

The inner ends of the frame arms 29 have riveted or otherwise securedthereto, plates 33. 'Ihe pivot elements 3l for the frame arms areutilized as some of the securing elements for said plates. Each plate isformed with a series of alined apertures 34, and the plates areresilient or yieldable. When the frame 28 is in position within thelopen cover of the case, the plates 33 project horizontally rearwardlyand the free endsj of the same lodge between the stays I3 and thevsition within the open cover of the case, the bar 24 can not be removed.It is desirable that said bar only be removable when the frame is in theposition of Fig.. 1 for packing or unpacking. In the latter position theplates 33 are remote from the bar and said bar may be readilymanipulated to effect its disengagement and removal.

The numeral 35 indicates a flexible protective curtain formed of vasuitable fabric or a like material. YOne end of this curtain is attachedto the inner free edge of the cover section Il of the case and thepurpose of this curtain is to cover the open side -of thecover sectionand to protect the contents thereof when said section is packed. Saidcurtain, when in secured position, also serves as a means for retainingthe frame 28 and garments thereon within the cover section. When the.case is open for packing or unpacking purposes, the curtain is releasedand is thrown over the outer wall portions'of the cover section, asin'Fig. 1. However, when the case is packed, it is essential that thecurtain be secured in protecting'andretaining position. To this end thelower or free end portion of the curtain carries a transverse rod 36Whose opposite end portions are provided with yielding plungers 31similar to the plungers 26 of the bar 22. Said plungers are selectivelyengageable with any of the apertures 34 in the plates 33. The particularapertures selected for receiving the plungers 31 will depend on whetherthe curtain is slack or outwardly bulged, depending on auf vof

the amount and bulk of the garments packed desirable to swing the frame29 Vto the position over the body section to thereby permit release ofthe garment engaging bar 24.rv One or more of the hangers 23 arenext'removed from the slotted guide 20. A hanger then has agarment, coator dress, supported thereon in the usual manner" and the hanger isreplaced within the slotted-guide 2U. If the garment is of an elongatedcharacter it will hang vertically down the cover section and it is thenextended out over the frame 28 and over the outer side of the bodysection IIJ, as indicated in broken lines in Fig. 1. Thereafter thegarment engaging bar 24, which had previously been removed, is replaced.The frame member 28 should next be swung upwardly so' asto lodgeentirely within the cover section I l, as in Fig. 2. The curtain 35 isnext thrown over the open side of the cover section and it is secured ina desired condition of tautness by inserting the ends ofthe plungers 31of the rod 36 into suitable apertures 34 of the plate member 33. If onlyone of the hangers 23 is utilized for garments and if the cover sectionis relatively loosely packed, the lowermost apertures 34 in the plate 33may be utilized, as in Fig. 2. However, if the cover section is packedWith a relatively large quantity of garments, the same may bulgeoutwardly somewhat and in order to confine the frame and garments it maybe desirable to secure the curtain rod 36 in one of the upper aperturesof the plate 33. This condition is shown in Fig. 3. When the coversection is thus packed, it will be notedthat the garment carrying andfolding mechanism has a garment arranged thereabout in the followingmanner: the garment hangs from a hanger 23 and extends, medially of itsends, about the bar 24 and it is furthermore then extended along theframe 28 and folded over the rod 3|] at the free end of the frame. Ifthe garment is particularly long, it hangs down along the front face ofthe frame and the extremity thereof may drape into the rear well i8 inthe body section of the case.

After the cover section has been thus packed and the curtain has beensecured over the open side of the cover section, the body section of thecase may be packed in the usual manner with various articles of appareland traveling paraphernalia. The cover section is ultimately swung toclosed position relative to the body section of the case and is theretosecured by means of the latch elements I9. When thecase is carried, thehangers 23 are in the uppermost end of the case and the garmentssupported thereby hang naturally therefrom and this is likewise true ofthe portions of the garments folded over the end rod 3B of the frame 28.

As has been mentioned heretofore, when the frame 28 is in positionwithin the cover section of the case, the ends o-f the plates 33 areinterposed adjacent the end portions of the removable bar 24 and the barcannot be suiiiciently manipulated to effect its removal. Removal of'the bar is only possible when the frame is swung to the position ofFig. l. The plates 33 are resilient and are easily engaged by the endportions of the curtain rod 36. When the curtain is in secured position,it is desirable to have it relatively taut so that when the coversection of the case is ultimately'V swung down toward the body section,the frame and garments will be prevented,

by the curtain 35, from undue sagging and this will also prevent edgeportions of garments from possibly bulging out ofthe sides of thecurtain to interfere with proper closing of the cover.

It has heretofore been pointed out that the inner ends of the arms 28are pivotally connected to relatively rear portions of the stays I4.Consequently when the cover of the case is closed relative to the bodysection, there is relatively .little longitudinal shifting of the frameand consequently the frame rod 30 does not move too close to the end ofthe cover section. This` prevents Wear on the garments and unduecrushing of the same againstthe inner end of the cover section of thecase. f

It is obvious that unpacking of the case is accomplished by4 operationsreverse to those described in connection with the packing operations. Itshould furthermore be pointed out that' the slotted guideway 2l!l mayaccommodate a pluralityfof hangers which are-arranged in superimposedcondition and access to -an inner garment may be had by removing thehangers which are forwardly of the hanger carrying the desired garment.Y

It should be understood that it is not desired to limit the invention tothe exact details of construction herein shown and described, `forvarious modifications Within the scope of the claims may occur topersons skilled in the art.

What is claimed as the invention is:

1. In a fixture equipped luggage case, the case includingl hingedlyconnected complementaryy body and cover sections and the xture includinga swinging frame having a pair of side arms, foldable stays pivotallyconnected at their ends to inner portions of the cover and body sectionsrespectively, each stay having an aperture therein relatively close toits point of pivotal connection with the cover section, a transversegarment `engaging bar having shouldered and yielding plunger equippedends adapted to enter said stay apertures for the removable mounting ofsaid bar, and plates carried by the inner ends of the frame arms in amanner so that edge portions of said plates will position adjacent theshouldered portions of said bar to restrict longitudinal movement andconsequent removal there- Vof from the stay apertures when the frame is'foldable stays pivotally connected at their ends to inner portions ofthe cover and body sections respectively, each stay having an aperturetherein relatively close to its point of pivotal connection with thecover section, a transverse garment engaging bar having shouldered andyielding plunger equipped ends adapted to enter said stay apertures forthe removable mounting of said bar, a curtain having one end securedWithin the free end portion of the cover section'and being adapted todrape over and cover the open side of said cover section, a transversemember carried by the opposite end portion of said cury' tain and havingprongs at its ends, and yielding plates carried by the inner ends ofsaid frame arms in a manner so that edge portions of said plates Willposition adjacent the shouldered portions of said bar to restrictlongitudinal movementl and consequent removal thereof from the stayapertures When the frame is in one position but being remote from thebar When the frame is in another position of adjustment, said platesalso having apertures therein for removably receiving the prongs on thecurtain transverse member to secure the curtain in protecting andretaining position.

3. In a fixture equipped luggage case,` the case including hingedlyconnected complementary body and cover sections and the xture includinga swinging frame having a pair of side arms, yieldable folding stayspivotally connected at their ends to inner portions of the cover andbody sections respectively, each stay having an aperture thereinrelatively close to its point of connection with the cover section, atransverse garment engaging bar having shouldered and yielding plungerequipped ends adapted to enter said stay apertures for the removablemounting of said bar, a flexible curtain having one-end secured Withinthe free end portion of the cover section and being adapted to drapeover and cover the open side of said cover section, a transverse rodcarried by the opposite end portion of said curtain, said rod havingspring urged, plungerlike end portions, and yielding, metallic platescarried by the inner ends of said frame arms in a manner so that edgeportions of said plates Will position adjacent the shouldered portionsof said bar to restrict longitudinal movement and consequent removalthereof from the stay apertures When the frame is in one position butbeing remote from the bar when the frame is in an` other position ofadjustment, the opposite edges of said plates being outwardly ared andeach plate being provided with a series of alined apertures wherebyselected apertures in the plates may removably receive the plunger endsof the curtain rod to adjustably secure the curtain in a taut protectingand retaining position.

4. In a xture equipped luggage case, the case including hingedlyconnected complementary body and covervsections, and the fixtureincluding a swinging frame having a pair of side arms, socket membersWithin opposite sides of the hinged end of one of the case sections, atrans-v verse garment bar having shouldered and plunger equipped ends,which plunger ends are adapted to enter said socket members for theremovable mounting of said bar, and plates carried by the inner ends ofthe frame arms in a manner so that edge portions of said plates Willposition adjacent the shouldered portions of said bar to restrictlongitudinal movement and consequent removal thereof from said socketmembers when the frame is swung into the cover section of the case, saidplates being remote from said bar when .the frame is swung to a positionout of the cover section of the case.

JULIUS RITTER. JR.

